SOUTH PORTLAND – For the second year in a row South Portland will have not one, but two farmers markets, although with one significant alternation. When the version hosted by the Maine Mall opens, it will move out of the parking lot and inside, to center court.
The sophomore season for the farmers market at the Maine Mall is scheduled to open Friday, pending approval of the move by the South Portland Planning Board.
“We are crossing our fingers and our toes,” said the mall’s marketing manager, Stefanie Millette, on Monday. “Without any trees, the wind was very strong in our parking lot and there are a couple of returning vendors who remember their tents falling down a few times. They don’t have to deal with that this year, so they’re very excited about the move inside.”
The Planning Board’s public hearing and vote on the mall’s application for a special exception under city rules for a farmer’s market in the central and regional commercial district was scheduled to take place Tuesday evening, after the deadline for this week’s print edition of The Current. Coverage of the vote will be provided online at www.keepmecurrent.com. In a June 4 memo to the Planning Board, Community Planner Steve Puleo said city staff does recommend passage of the application, for up to 15 vendors in the 405-square-foot center court area.
“It’s the same spot where all of our community events typically happen,” said Millette. “If folks are familiar with our set-up during Christmastime, it’s the area by Starbucks and Sports Authority, where we usually have that huge model train display.”
Although more vendors may be added as the summer winds on, Millette said the market will open with eight farms. That’s because of two other changes to the market. Gone this year are the artisans and services that made up a majority of last year’s offerings.
“We did have many things that were maybe atypical,” said Millette. “This year we’ve gone right back to the nuts and bolts of what makes a farmers market. So, someone who comes to the market will find nothing but produce, meats, eggs, bread – anything they need for their pantry or their refrigerator.”
What patrons also will find at the market, scheduled to run from 2-6 p.m. every Friday though September, except for July 5, are demonstrations on preserving and pickling, staged by the master food preservers from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Office. Scheduled dates include June 21 (strawberry jam), July 26 (pickling) and Aug. 16 (salsa).
July 26 also will see Scottish exhibits and animals brought in to celebrate the Maine Highland Games, while Bon-Ton will stage job fairs alongside the market on July 19 and Aug. 2.
“Once the city has given the 100 percent OK, I’ll be moving forward seeing what other interactive activities we can add to the market,” said Millette. “We are waiting for two to three weeks to see how the layout progresses, because we want to make sure everything that we’ve already committed to has enough space, before accepting more vendors.”
The eight farms scheduled to participate beginning this Friday are:
• Beth’s Farm Market, of Warren, featuring mixed fruits and vegetables,
• Blown Dreams Farm, offering organic vegetables, gourmet cow’s milk and cheese, oyster and shitake mushrooms and various greens,
• Liv with Roz Farm, of Gorham, specializing in goat milk soap, lip balms and lotions,
• Maine Homestead Farm, of Arundel, featuring pickles, jams, jellies, relish and salsa,
• Snow Hook Farm, offering goat milk and cheese,
• Sumner Valley Farm, offering poultry, pork, eggs and mixed vegetables,
• Up-Beet Farm, of Porter, with organic mixed vegetables, flowers and herbs, and
• When Pigs Fly Bakery, of Kittery, featuring 20 different kinds of fresh-baked artisan breads.
South Portland’s other farmers market, not in its third year, runs from 3-7 p.m. every Thursday on Hinckley Drive, next to Mill Creek Park.
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